Five experienced paddlers went for a quick swim in the balmy waters of New England yesterday, and everyone's drysuits, insulating layers, gloves and hoods worked just fine! Since all of us are no strangers to cold water, we got into the boats and got down to the business of rescues, particularly working on a T-rescue with the rescuee sitting on the bow of the rescue boat, which requires a little balance and extra coordination. There were also a couple of rolls, cowboy rescues, and one 360 degree rotation while sitting on the deck! With the water being around 40 degrees, I think that these can truly be classified as stupid kayak tricks!

A brief paddle out into a dead calm ocean provided a nice break for lunch and a photo op:

On the way back from lunch, we dumped out of our boats about 30 yards from shore and swam the boats back to the beach using several different techniques. This proved not only to be a workout, but also provided some useful information.

All in all, the four-hour day proved to be a very good exercise for all of those involved. This was a great opportunity (an excellent day!) to spend some extended time in cold water with the safety of a group. Only one felt slightly chill after the initial swim (spend the most amount of time in the water), and was able to warm up easily on the beach and in the boat, and was back into the water in no time.

I had hoped that Rob would post this as the "First Annual NSPN Easter Plunge," but maybe we can get him to change the heading for next year!

It was a really wonderful day, and all of us are very happy that Rob organized it. The Weather Gods cooperated. With 40 degree water, we appreciated that there was milky sun and no wind. I for one had never dumped out in water that cold (it sure made the fall Cold Water Workshop seem like bathing suit conditions by comparison!), and was pretty apprehensive about it. But with the encouragement of NSPN's Rescue King, Bob Levine (motto: "Never waste an opportunity to get wet.") I went over, rolled back up, then went over again and came out to let him rescue me. I came away with a confidence that I could handle cold water that I'd never had before. I strongly encourage anyone with similar apprehension to sign up for one of the upcoming immersion sessions.

And please note the rabbit ears in the photo above! (if you can't tell who the Easter Bunny is under all that gear, here's a hint: it's my camping buddy...)

pru

Just an excellent session yesterday. Agree with Rob and Pru's postings, except I think the final swim was more than 30 yards - or at least felt that way. Talk about an energy drain! I was never so grateful as when the surf finally caught my boat. Thanks to Rob for organizing and all participants.

Bob

Rob,

Thank you for organizing a great day on and in the water. I need to echo Pru’s comment on how great it feels to overcome the inertia we all feel in tackling a new challenge. The key for us was a supportive team that was always ready to provide assistance.

I am really looking forward to helping you during the next session on April 21.

Warren
(a.k.a. The guy with the bunny ears!)

Rob, thanks for organizing this event. It was a great opportunity to practice and improve our skills in a safe environment, with a group of skilled paddlers. This was the first time I dumped and attempted a roll in water this cold. It felt good to overcome the anxiety of a wet exit in 40 degree water.

Here are a few pictures. https://picasaweb.google.com/104130917981156539102/NSPNColdWaterChallenge

Will the REAL Easter Bunny please step forward.

Jeff

Thanks for the photos - a nice document of a fun day!

pru

Jeff,

Great photos! Thank you! It really was a wonderful day and all the smiles demonstrate how much we enjoyed the activity.

Warren

Enjoyed the photos...boy those boats tip over a lot :-)

We liked that 1st photo a lot and those with the bunny ears are awesome

..i know with a ruddered boat you can spend a bit of energy worrying if your gonna scratch your friends boat...funny how it all goes into the mix of things...

Nice to see some Easter fun !!